Apparatus for shifting vehicles



Dec. 22, 1942. F. P. J. DUMONT APPARATUS FOR SHIFTING VEHICLES Filed March 13, 1940 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 R O T N w ya m m R n o n n n z s WN I r m m QM mv Q? mmm m. ah km mm Q i 1 N 1 v V: 4 T T T. A N 0 M U D H J P I FWWM N D 22, 1942. F. H. H. 5mm 2 306,208

APPARATUS FOR SHIFTING VEHICLES Filed March 13, 1940 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 T \NVENTOR (E 40 E P. J. H. D u M o N T \\Q 9 Dec. 212, 1942. F. P. J; H. DUMONT v I 2,306,208

APPARATUS FOR SHIFTING VEHICLES Filed Mai-ch 15, 1940 s Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTYOR F. PJ. YDUMONT v W MTvs.

Patented Dec. 22, 1942 zsaz APPARATUS FOR SHIFTIN G VEHICLES Francois Pierre Joseph Hector Dumont, .Iambes,

Belgium; vested in the Alien Property Custodian Application March 13, 1940, Serial No. 323,807 In Belgium April 25, 1939 18 Claims.

The present invention relates to an apparatus serving to shift a vehicle and in particular a railway vehicle by hearing on the frame of the vehicle or on a part integral with this frame by means of a head carried by an inclined arm of variable length.

The present invention has for its subject to permit the length of the said arm to be regulated after its head has been brought underneath the vehicle against which it is to be brought to bear, and this by means of a simple, light, inexpensive and compact mechanism.

To this end, in the apparatus according to the invention, the head is mounted on a rack which slides in a guide and which may be raised by means of a pawl, the pivot of which is mounted on an oscillating lever which may be set in operation by the driver, a stop cooperating with the rack being furthermore provided in order to prevent the fall of the rack whilst the oscillating lever which has raised the rack is brought into its position from which it has effected the raising.

According to an advantageous construction, the said stop is permanently pressed towards the position in which it prevents the rack from falling, but it is furthermore mountedin such manner as to be thrust by the teeth of the rack when the latter is raised.

With the object of permitting the rapid lowering of the head in case of need, it .is furthermore provided that the said stop is mounted in such manner that it may be brought into and held by the operator in such a position as to allow the rack to fall.

Preferably the said .head is carried by one of.

the arms of a framework pivoting and carrying the motor which actuates the supporting wheel or wheels and which rotates in a direction such that the, said head is, with respect to the pivoting point of the framework, in the forward direction of the vehicle.

The invention has also for its objects to prevent an apparatus used to shift a vehicle and in particular a railway vehicle, by bearing on the frame of the vehicle or on a part integral with the frame, being carried along by the vehicle should it slacken with respect thereto.

To this end, in the apparatus according to the invention, the bearing on the frame is effected through a head the height of which is greater than the difference of level between the lower portion of the frame and the lower portion of the accessories fixed to this frame underneath it, the said head being furthermore movable with respect to the part on which it is mounted in such manner that, starting from the position it occupies when it bears on the vehicle, it can be carried along by the latter in an advancing direction into a position where it can descend with respect to the part which carries it down to a level lower than that of the accessories of the vehicle which are below the frame of the vehicle in the vicinity of the point of support.

According to a particular construction, the said head carries stops engaged in slides having a part approximately horizontal and serving as support to the stops when the head bears underneath the vehicle, and a portion approximately vertical permitting the lowering of the head when the stops are carried past it by the vehicle which advances with respect to the apparatus.

Preferably, the saidhead is furthermore forced permanently towards the position in which it can bear against he lower part of the vehicle. e

Other features and details of the invention will appear from the description of the drawings annexed to the present specification and which represent diagrammatically and by Way of example only, one construction of an apparatus according to theinvention.

Figure 1 is a side View of an apparatus according to the invention, there beingshown only those parts essential to the understanding of the invention;

Figure 2 is a view in perspective, partly broken away, of the mechanism .for varying the length of the arm which carries the head bearing against the frame of a vehicle;

Figures 3 to 6 are side views of the mechanism according to Figure 2, in different positions;

Figure 7 is a view in perspective of the head of the apparatus showing how this head is raised with respect to the part which carries it;

.Figures 8 .to 1.0 are side views of the head in three different positions.

In these different figures, the same reference numerals indicate the same parts.

In-Figure v1 there is shown an apparatus for shifting a railway vehicle, a part of the frame of which is indicated by '2. This apparatus comprises an oscillating framework constituted by tubes 3 carrying a motor 4. This framework 3 pivots about the axle .5 of a single supporting wheel 6 which runs on a rail 1. One of the arms of this oscillating framework carries a head 8 bearing against the lower part of the frame 2 of the vehicle. The motor 4 serves to rotate the supporting wheel '6 in the direction of the arrow X in such manner as to force the carriage in the direction of the arrow Y. The head 8 is therefore, with respect to the pivotal point 5 of the framework 3 carrying the motor ii, in the direction of forward movement of the vehicle 2.

Under these conditions, the reaction couple to which the framework 3 is subjected and which is exerted in the opposite direction to the arrow X, .has for effect to apply the head 8 against the underneath part of the frame 2 of the vehicle with a force which is proportional to the motor couple applied to the wheel '6. The vertical reaction of this on the rail 1 therefore increases at the same time as the motor couple which tends to ensure at every instant an adherence between the wheel 6 and the rail 1 suflicient to cause the vehicle to advance if the direction formed by the point of contact of the supporting wheel with the rail and by the point of support of the head 8 on the vehicle remains within the angle of friction between the wheel 6 and the raili'l.

The head 8 is carried by a rack 9 which can be shifted with respect to the remainder of the oscillating framework 3 in such manner as to vary the distance between the head 8 and the rail 1. The rack is guided in the course of its movement in a guide [8 (Figures 1 and 2) integral with the tubes 3 constituting the framework carrying the motor 4. This guide is oriented in such manner that the direction of displacement of the rack is in the angle of friction of the wheel of the vehicle with the rail 1. This direction is such that in the limits of variation of the height of the chassis of the difierent kinds of vehicles in use, the point of contact of the head 8 with the chassis 2 of a vehicle is always in the said angle of friction.

The displacements of the rack 9 may be controlled by the operator when the latter supports the apparatus after he has brought the head 8 underneath the frame 2 of the vehicle. These displacements may be made necessary at this moment in order to adapt the apparatus to the varying heights of the lower face of the frame 2 above the rail 1. These heights vary not only for the same vehicle corresponding to the load of this vehicle, but also from one vehicle to the other. On displacing the rack 9 with respect to the rest of the oscillating framework 3, the operator then retains the handles ll of the apparatus (Figure 1) at the most suitable height, and prevents the wheels 12, serving to facilitate the shifting of the apparatus when the latter is not in use, from coming into contact with the ground or with a rail adjacent to the running rail.

To raise the rack, the operator acts by hand at l3 in the direction of the arrow Z on a small lever l4 pivoting at in the vicinity of the handles l I. This lever I4 is connected by a cable l6 (Figures 1 and 2) to an oscillating lever I! (Figure 2) on which is mounted a pawl 18 by means of its pivot IS. A spring 28 continuously acting on the lever l1 tends to keep the pawl 18 out of the teeth of the rack 9.

Presuming that the pawl is in the position shown in Figures 2 and 3 that the lever 14 is acted upon in the direction of the arrow Z of Figure 1, the lever I! is brought against the action of the spring 20 into a position shown by Figure 4 in which the pawl l8 carried by its pivot I9 and a finger 2| of the lever I1 is in contact with one of the teeth of the rack 9.

If the lever I4 is further acted upon in the same direction, the rack 9 is raised by the thrust of the pawl l8 on the rack. There is shown in Figur 5 the rack in a position in which it has been raised by about the amount of one tooth to the other. In the course of this lifting movement, a stop 22 pivoted at 23 and permanently caused by a spring 24 to penetrate between the teeth of the rack has been thrustback by one of the teeth thereof against the force of this spring.

If the rack is again raised slightly beyond the position shown by Figure 5, this stop 22 again drops to the base of the teeth and prevents the rack from falling even if the operator leaveshold of the lever 14.

If the operator does actually leave hold of the lever l4, the spring 20 draws the lever 11 back together with its actuating mechanism, into the position shown by Figures 2 and 3. In the course of this resetting, the pawl l8 rotates, with respect to the lever l1, about its pivot l9 and does not remain applied against the extremity of the finger 2L. It is carried along by its pivot l9 and slides in contact with the teeth of the rack, as shown by Figure 6.

If, after havin raised the rack by an amount corresponding to the distance between two teeth of the rack, the lever I4 had been further acted upon in the direction of the arrow Z, it would have been possible to raise the rack by an amount corresponding to the distance between two teeth before allowing the lever H to return into the position shown by Figures 2 and 3.

Instead of acting by hand at l3 to displace the lever M in the direction of the arrow Z, the operator can also act at 25 by means of the leg or knee.

If, when the rack has been raised, it is desired to lower it, it is sufficient to disengage the stop 22 from the teeth of the rack 9.

To do this, the operator causes a small elbow lever 26 adjacent to one of the handles II to oscillate in the direction of the arrow R, this lever being connected by a cable 21 to the stop 22.

On the other hand, if for any reason, for example due to an acceleration of th vehicle in its descent or owing to a voluntary or accidental stoppage of the motor, the apparatus were moved by one or the other of the accessories of the fram of the vehicle which are generally in the vicinity of the point where the head 8 of the apparatus bears on the vehicle, this movement might give rise to inconveniences.

To avoid these inconveniences, the head 8 is made movable with respect to a part 28 at the top of the rack 9. The mobility of the head 8 with respect to the part 28 is effected in such manner that from the position which the head occupies when it bears on the vehicle, the latter carries the said head into a position in which it descends with respect to the part 28 and this to a lower level than that of the accessories, such as the bar 29 of Figure l, which are below the frame of the vehicle in the vicinity of the place where the head 8 bears on the frame. The head 8 has a height greater than the difference of level between the lower part of the frame 2 of the vehicle and the lower part of the accessories fixed underneath this frame.

In the construction shown, particularly in Figure '7, the head 8 comprises two side plates 30 reinforced by the ribs 3!. These side plates are provided towards the interior with catches 32 and 33. The latter are engaged in slides 34 made over about half the thiclmess of the flanges 35 of the part 28. These slides have a part 36, approximately horizontal, serving as support to the catches 32 and 33 when the head 8 is in the position in which it bears against the frame of the vehicle. This position is shown in Figure 8.

Underneath the parts 36 approximately horizontal to the slide 34, the flanges 35 of the part 28 have furthermore grooves 31 parallel to these parts 38. These grooves are of such a length that when the catches 32 and 33 have been carried by translation with the head 8 by the vehicle into a position such as that shown in Figure 9 where they no longer rest on the parts 36, pivots 38 engaged in these grooves and carried by the side plates 30, have come against one of the extremities of these grooves.

If the vehicle continues to carry the head 8 along past the position shown by Figure 9, seeing that th lower part of the head can no longer participate in the said movement of translation because the pivots 38 have reached the extremity of the grooves 31, the head 8 can only rotate about the pivots 38. This oscillation is made possible by the fact that the catches 32 and 33 are at this moment over parts 39 approximately vertical of the slides 34. These parts 38 extend suificiently low for the head 8, oscillating by an angle of about 90, to be able to descend to a level such as that shown by Figure 10, lower than the level of the accessories of the vehicle which might come into contact with the head.

To bring the head 8 automatically into the position shown by Figure 8, a spring 40 is arranged to act on this head, forcing it continuously towards this position. The spring shown is a pin spring operating by fiexion and having to this end its two extremities fixed at 4! and its central part 42 bearing against a plate 43 integralv with the head. The two helical portions of this spring are guided by a pin 44 fixed to the part 28.

The invention is not exclusively restricted tothe embodiment shown and many modifications may be made in its arrangement and the constitution of the elements taking part therein. Thus, the apparatus may comprise a plurality of supporting wheels and it need not necessarily bear on the frame of the vehicle through a pivoting framework which carries the motor.

What. I claim is:

1. In an apparatus for shifting a vehicle and inparticular a railway vehicle, the structure comprising a head for engaging with an under surface of said vehicle, the provision of a rack on which this head is mounted, a guide in which this rack slides in height, a pivoting pawl mounted so as to be able to come in contact with the teeth of the rack and to raise the latter, a pivoting lever carrying the pivot of said pawl, means for permanently urging the latter towards a position ior which it is disengaged from the rack, means operable by the operator from the position the latter occupies during the operation of the apparatus for bringing th oscillating pawl in contact with the teeth of the rack and for oscillating said pivoting lever in the direction corresponding to the raising of the rack by the pawl, a. movable. stop cooperating with the rack disposed so. as to preventthe fall of the latter when itis in engagement with it, means for engaging this stop with the rack, and means for disengaging said stop from the rack.

2. In an apparatus for shifting a vehicle and in particular a railway vehicle, the structure comprising a head for engaging with an under surface of said vehicle, the provision of a rack on which. this head is mounted, a guide in which this rack slides in height; a pivoting pawl mounted'so as to be able to come in contact with the teeth of the rack and to raise the latter, a pivoting lever carrying the pivot of said pawl, means operable by the operator from the position the latter occupies during the operation of the apparatus for oscillating this pivoting lever in the direction corresponding to the raising of the rack by. the pawl, means for permanently urging the pivoting lever towards a position for which the pivoting pawl is disengaged from the rack, a

. movablei stop cooperating with the rack disposed so as to prevent the fall of the latter when it is in engagement with it, means for engaging this stop with the rack, and means for disengaging said stop from the rack.

3. In an apparatus for shifting a vehicle and in particular a railway vehicle, the structure comprising a head for engaging with an under surface of said vehicle, the provision of a rack on which this head is mounted, a guide in which this rack slides in height, a pivoting pawl mounted so as to be able to come in contact with the teeth of the rack and to raise the latter, a pivoting lever carrying the pivot of said pawl, means operable by the operator from the position the latter occupies during the operation of the apparatus for oscillating this pivoting lever in the direction corresponding to the raising of the rack by the pawl, means for permanently urging said pivoting lever towards a position for which the pivoting pawl is disengaged from the rack, a movable stop cooperating with the rack disposed so as to prevent the fall of the latter when it is in engagement with it, means for permanently urging this movable stop towards the position in which it prevents the rack from falling, this stop being furthermore mounted in such manner as to be thrust back by the teeth of the rack when the latter is raised, and means for disengaging said stop from the rack.

i. In an apparatus for shifting a vehicle and I in particular a railway vehicle, the structure comprising a head for engaging with an under surface of said vehicle, the provision of a rack on which this head is mounted, a guide in which this rack slides in height, a pivoting pawl mounted so as to be able to come in contact with the teeth of the rack and to raise the latter, a pivoting lever carrying the pivot of said pawl, means operable by the operator from the position the latter occupies during the operation of the apparatus for oscillating this pivoting lever in the direction corresponding to the raising of the rack by the pawl, means for permanently urging said pivoting lever towards a position for which the pivoting pawl is disengaged from the rack, a movable stop cooperating with the rack disposed so as to prevent the fall of the latter when it is in engagement with it, means for permanently urging this movable stop towards the position in which it prevents the rack from falling, this stop being furthermore mounted in such manner as to be thrust back by the teeth of the rack when the latter is raised, and means operable by the operator from the position the latter occupies during the operation of the apparatus for bringing and holding said stop in a position in which it allows the rack to fall.

5. In an apparatus for shifting a vehicle and in particular a railway vehicle, the structure com 1 prising a head for engaging with an under surface of said Vehicle, theprovision of a rack on which this head is mounted, a guide in which this rack slides in height, a pivoting pawl mounted so as to be able to come in contact with the teeth of the rack and to raise the latter, a pivoting lever carrying the pivot of' said pawl, means operable by the hand of the operator from the position the latter occupies during the operation of the apparatus for oscillating this pivoting lever in the direction corresponding to the raising of the rack by the pawl, means for permanently urging said pivoting lever towards a position for which the pivoting pawl is disengaged from the rack, a movable stop cooperating with the rack disposed so as to prevent the fall of the latter when it is in engagement with it, means for en-, gaging this stop with the rack, and means for disengaging said stop from the rack.

6. In an apparatus for shifting a vehicle and in particular a railway vehicle, the structure comprising a head for engaging with an under surface of said Vehicle, the provision of a rack on which this head is mounted, a guide in which this rack slides in height, a pivoting pawl mounted so as to be able to come in contact with the teeth of the rack and to raise the latter, a pivoting lever carrying the pivot of said pawl, means operable by the leg of the operator from the position the latter occupies during the operation of the apparatus for oscillating this pivoting lever in the direction corresponding to the raising of the rack by the pawl, means for permanently urging said pivoting lever towards a position for which the pivoting pawl is disengaged from the rack, a movable stop cooperating with the rack disposed so as to prevent the fall of the latter when it is in engagement with it, means for engaging this stop with the rack, and means for disengaging said stop from the rack.

'7. In an apparatus for shifting a vehicle and in particular a railway vehicle, the structure comprising at least one driving wheel, an axle for said wheel, a frame mounted on said axle for pivotal movement about the axis of said axle, a head projecting in front of a vertical plane passing through said axle and engaging with an under surface of the vehicle to be shifted'at a point in front of said vertical plane, a rack on which said head is mounted, a guide on said frame in which this rack slides in height, a pivoting pawl mounted so as to be able to come in contact with the teeth of the rack and to raise the latter, a pivoting lever carrying the pivot of said pawl, means operable by the operator from the position the latter occupies during the operation of the apparatus for oscillating this pivoting lever in the direction corresponding to the raising of the rack by the pawl, means for permanently urging said pivoting lever towards a position for which the pivoting pawl is disengaged from the rack, a movable stop cooperating with the rack disposed so as to prevent the fall of the latter when it is in engagement with it, means for engaging this stop with the rack, and means for disengaging said stop from the rack.

8. In an apparatus for shifting a vehicle and in particular a railway vehicle, said apparatus having a wheel, the structure comprising a head for engaging with an under surface of said vehicle, the provision of a rack on which this head is mounted, a guide in which this rack slides in height, this guide being oriented in such manner that when the apparatus bears against a vehicle I the direction of displacement in which the rack is guided is in the angle of friction of the wheel of the apparatus with the ground on which it runs, this direction being furthermore such that for the variations of height existing between the different vehicles to be shifted, the point of contact of the head with the frame of the vehicle remains in the said angle of friction, a pivoting pawl disposed so as to be able to come in contact with the teeth of the rack and to raise the latter, a pivoting lever carrying the pivot of said pawl, means operable by the operator from the position the latter occupies during the operation of the apparatus for oscillating this pivoting lever in the direction corresponding to the raising of the rack by the pawl, means for permanently urging said pivoting lever towards a position for which the pivoting pawl is disengaged from the rack, a movable stop cooperating with the rack disposed so as to prevent the particularly a railway vehicle, comprising a head for bearing under the lower part of the frame of the vehicle, the height of this head being greater than the difference of level between the lower part'of the frame and the lower part of the accessories fixed to said frame below it in the vicinity of the bearing. point, a support for this head, and connecting means between said head and said support for movably connecting the head to the support such that the head may be carried along by the vehicle in its forward running direction relatively to the support from the position .whichit occupies when it bears on the vehicle into a position in which it can descend down to a level lower than the' upper level of said support.

10; Anapparatus forshifting a vehicle and particularly a railway vehicle, comprising a head for bearing under the lower part of the frame of the vehicle, the bearing surface of this head lying in elevation between the lower part of the frame and the lower part of the accessories fixed to said frame below it in the vicinity of the bearing point, a support on which this head is movable, catches on said head, and slides in said support in which the catches are engaged, said slides having a portion approximately horizontal serving as bearing for the catches when the head bears underneath the vehicle and a portion approximately vertical permitting, when the head is carried along by the vehicle in its forward running direction relatively to the support, the lowering of said catches and of said head until a level for which they are lower than the upper level of said support.

11. An apparatus for shifting a vehicle and particularly a railway vehicle, comprising a head for hearing under the lower part of the frame of the vehicle, the bearing surface of this head lying in elevation between the lower part of the frame and the lower part of the accessories fixed to said frame below it in the vicinity of the bearing point, a support on which this head is movable, catches on said head, slides in said support in which the catches are engaged, said slides having a portion approximately horizontal serving as bearing for the catches when the head bears underneath the vehicle and a portion approximately yertical permitting, when the head is carried along by the vehicle in its forward run- 'ning direction relatively to the support, the

lowering of said catches and of said head until a level for which they are lower than the upper level of said support pivots provided on said head, and grooves in said support for receiving said pivots, said grooves being parallel to the portion approximately horizontal of the said slides and arranged below the slides, the said grooves being furthermore of such a length that the said pivots reach one of their extremities when the catches of the head are above the approximately vertical portion of the slides permitting their lowering.v

12. An apparatus for shiftinga vehicle and particularly a railway vehicle, comprising a head for bearing under the lower part of the frame of the vehicle,- the bearing surface of this head lying in elevation between the lower part of the frame and the lower part of the accessories fixed to said frame below it in the vicinity of the bearing point, a support on which this head is movable, connecting means between said head and said support such that the head may be carried along by the vehicle in its forward running direction relatively to the support from the position which it occupies when it bears on the vehicle into a position in which it can descend down to a level lower than the upper level of said support, and means for permanently urging the movable head towards its position in which it bears against the lower part of the vehicle.

13. An apparatus for shifting a vehicle and particularly a railway vehicle, comprising a head for bearing under the lower part of the frame of the vehicle, the bearing surface of this head lying in elevation between the lower part of the frame and the lower part of the accessories fixed to said frame below it in the vicinity of the hearing point, a support on which this head is movable, connecting means between said head and said support such that the head may be carried along by the vehicle in its forward running direction relatively to the support from the position which it occupies when it bears on the vehicle into a position in which it can descend down to a level lower than the upper level of said support, and a pin spring operating by fiexion when the head is carried along by the vehicle with respect to its support, said pin spring permanently urging the movable head toward its position in which it bears against the lower part of the vehicle.

14. An apparatus for shifting a vehicle and particularly a railway vehicle, having aframe and accessories projecting below the bottom of the frame, comprising a head for bearing under the lower part of the frame of the vehicle, the bearing surface of this head lying in elevation between the lower part of the frame and the lower part of the accessories fixed to said frame in the vicinity of the bearing point, a support on which this head is movable, and which is at a level below the lower part of these accessories, catches on said head, and slides in said support in which the catches are engaged, said slides having a portion approximately horizontal serving as hearing for the catches when the head bears underneath the vehicle and a portion approximately vertical permitting, when the head is carried along by the vehicle in its forward running direction relatively to the support, the lowering of said catches and of said head until a level for which they are lower than the upper level of said support.

15. An apparatus for shifting a vehicle and particularly a railway vehicle, having a frame and accessories projecting below the bottom of the frame, comprising a head for bearing under the lower part of the frame of the Vehicle, the bearing surface of this head lying in elevation between the lower part of the frame and the lower part of the accessories fixed to said frame in the vicinity of the bearing point, a support on which this head is movable, and which is at a level below the lower part of these accessories, catches on said head, slides in said support in which the catches are engaged, said slides having a portion approximately horizontal serving as bearing for the catches when the head bears underneath the vehicle and a portion approximately vertical permitting, when the head is carried along by the vehicle in its forward running direction relatively to the support, the lowering of said catches and of said head until a level for which they are lower than the upper level of said support, pivots pro-, vided on said head, and grooves in said support for receiving said pivots, said grooves being parallel to the portion approximately horizontal of the said slides and arranged below the slides, the said grooves being furthermore of such a length that the said pivots reach one of their extremities when the catches of the head are above the approximately vertical portion of the slides permitting their lowering.

16. An apparatus for shifting a vehicle and particularly a railway vehicle, having a frame and accessories projecting below the bottom of the frame, comprising a head for bearing under the lower part of the frame of the vehicle, the bearing surface of this head lying in elevation between the lower part of the frameand the lower part of the accessories fixed to said frame in the vicinity of the bearing point, a support on which this head is movable, and which is at a level below the lower part of these accessories, connecting means between said head and said support such that the head may be carried along by the vehicle in its forward running direction relatively to the support from the position which it occupies when it bears on the vehicle into a position in which it can descend down to a level lower than the upper level of said support, and

means for permanentlyurging the movable head towards its position in which it bears against the lower part of the vehicle.

17. An apparatus for shifting a vehicle and particularly a railway vehicle, having a frame and accessories projecting. below the bottom of the frame, comprising a head for bearing under the lower part of the frame of the vehicle, the bearing surface of this head lying in elevation between the lower part of the frame and the lower part of the accessories fixed to said frame a in the vicinity of the bearing point, a support on whichthis head is movable, and which is at a level below the lower part of these accessories, connecting means between said head and said support such that the head may be carried along by the vehicle in its forward running direction relatively to the support from the position which it occupies when it bears on the vehicle into a position in which it can descend down to a level lower than the upper level of said support, and a pin spring operating by fiexion when the head is carried along by the vehicle with respect to its support, said pin spring permanently urging the movable head towards its position in which it bears against the lower part of the vehicle.

18. An apparatus for shifting a vehicle and particularly a railway vehicle, having a frame and accessories projecting below thebottom of the frame, comprising a head for hearing under the lower part of the frame of the vehicle, the bearing surface of this head lying in elevation between the lower part of the frame and the lower part of the accessories fixed to said frame in the vicinity of the bearing point, a support on which this head is movable, and which is at a level below the lower part of these accessories,

and connecting means between said head and 

